Thursday, October 8, 2009

Give my regards to Broadway

"Manhattan has been compelled to expand skyward because of the absence of any other direction in which to grow. This, more than any other thing, is responsible for its physical majesty." ~by E.B. White




Empire State Building
"I am an American boy, standing up to the world.
I sleep the city sleeps. We dream
the riveter's dream, held island-fast.
I wake to taxi alarms.
I am a 102-stop elevator ride to heaven. . .

. . . I am ten million bricks of unshakable faith.
I capture imagination at its peak.
I hugged King Kong, he hugged me back.
I look down on Broadway for a work of art,
the Fulton Fish Market for a slice of life,
United Nations Headquarters for a little peace. . .

. . . It's lonely up here without my twin brothers,
the World Trade Center Towers.
Wait here on my doorstep, Central Park,
while I look over Harlem.
I am an American boy, face to face with the world."
~by J. Patrick Lewis



In a Square of Times Square
"Evidence suggests a clock and its fast hand
is the most fitting tribute for continuity.
Times Square (light-lit night) . . .


. . . is the backdrop for our story, just as Eden
as an orchard is one narrative
beginning. In that one, the snake
as a tempter announces time's end. . .


. . . The Square sits in a city that is less a set
idea and more a disdain for sameness.
Times Square was always changing.
Of course truth was always one side . . .


. . . of certainty. She stops and looks up and sees
the scenic depiction of a drama-charged life
on the Times Square billboard above,
where an actress is asking a moment, . . .


. . . "What are you?" Asking and asking
to the sound of a whistle calling a cab."
~by Mary Jo Bang


" . . . while I walk on
the sunny pavement of Greenwich Village,
down Manhattan, clear winter noon, and I've been up all night, talking,
talking, reading the Kaddish aloud, listening to Ray Charles blues . . . "
~by Allen Ginsberg from Kaddish (I)



We had this calendar framed at the end of August 2001 to commemorate our son's last year at Columbia University. Two weeks later, the Towers were gone.


"The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. It used to be that the Statue of Liberty was the signpost that proclaimed New York and translated it for all the world. Today Liberty shares the role with Death."
~by E.B. White












19 comments:

  1. Fantastic tribute to a fantastic city, Margaret! Brilliant choice of quotes to go with the marvellous, exciting photos! I'll be back for another few looks around.

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  2. NY is fascinating even though I only know it from films, pictures, stories and now from blogs such as yours.
    It is a place I would adore to visit and be part of for a short while.
    PS Shelia and I finally made contact. thank you for your efforts.

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  3. Hi Lynne! Thanks! Yes, you've posted a few photos of the City yourself! You'll be back soon! Meanwhile, enjoy your Mom, your sister, and the big wide west. LOVE
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    Hi Friko! You see, we have a plan to meet already! And you can take me to the Agatha Christie home! (if not far from you).
    Could you read the postcard? It does "embiggen," as the Sagittarian says. LOVE

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  4. margaret, i am moving fast to head for cape cod for a few days, but thank you these great shots of new york. i love the city every time i go, which is not often enough. i love it most around holidays.

    i'll be back. take care!

    xo

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  5. Beautiful post, Margaret. I hope to see NYC before I die. It's such a magical place in my imagination. Your post is a colorful tribute to a wonderful place. Thanks for sharing!! Blessings!

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  6. Lovely photos Margaret! I've only been to NYC once, gosh, over 15 years ago I think. I really enjoyed it, reminded me a lot of Montreal - or vice versa! Lots of culture, that was probably it!
    :)

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  7. Hi kj! Have a great trip and enjoy the lobster! Be sure and come back to NYC before the holidays. xxox
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    Hi Marion! Come on up! kj wants to come up before the holidays--there you go! And I'll put a light out for the two of you! xxox
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    Hi Rain! Come on down! It is exciting before the holidays. I'm going to Madison Square Garden at the end of October to see one of your guys--Leonard Cohen! Do you remember him? xxox

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  8. Leonard Cohen....he is AMAZING. I'm a big fan of his - became one later in his career when he did the soundtrack for Natural Born Killers. You're so lucky! The big city here is called Charlottetown, I have to get familiar with the "What's Going On" section of the newspapers again!! Fun to discover! :)

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  9. Isn't he great, Rain! I'm from the era of "Suzanne" and "Sisters of Mercy." He writes poetry, too: Book of Longing? I love that gravelly, soulfelt voice. I think he still lives up a bit north from you--maybe he will perform there! LOVE

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  10. Great post Margaret I enjoyed it fully. Thanks and take great care.

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  11. Hi Margaret, you really catch the energy of the city here in this epic post... nice job, makes me want to head back over and poke around a bit in the back streets... looks like you had a good time...

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  12. And don't forget to eat a cupcake while you're there.

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  13. Aaaahhh ! ! ! Margaret ! New York New York !
    A dream ?...
    Bises

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  14. I was going thru some old photos at the weekend, found one I had taken in NY from the 107th floor of the Towers (this was 1992...)

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  15. Hi Blues~ Thanks! I seem to spend more time blogging than on Facebook! Sorry if I've missed you over there. This is pretty compelling to me. And I'm waiting for something new from you!
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    Hi Owen~ Yes, you really have to come over here for a taste of New York's idiosyncratic architecture. Paris is much more homogeneous. Thanks for stopping by!
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    Hi Sharon! Oh no! I can't quite recall the reference! Was it on your blog? Can you tell me when? Sorry! Cupcakes do ring a bell, though. xxox
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    Salut Jeff! J'espere que ce n'est pas de cauchemar! Tu l'aimerais--beaucoup d'electricite! Merci d'etre venu!

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  16. Hi Saj~ You were in New York! You must have loved all the crazy-excitement everywhere! Years ago on the observation deck of the Empire State Building I got picked up by King King (literally). Didn't you feel acrophobic! My hands are still sweating! I wish there were a way we could attach photos to our comments! xxox

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  17. Your New York photos are terrific! I love NY so much. My husband and I were married there at the Municipal Building 14 years ago. :)

    I have a friend who was the head of the nursing college at Columbia for years. She moved to another university a few years ago and will soon retire.

    Just read in comments that you are going to see Leonard Cohen at the end of the month. Good Lord, but you are a lucky woman! He's one of my very favorite artists. Scream "I Love You!" for me, will you?

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  18. These photos are great. I love the city scape from the top.

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  19. Felicidades por este sensible homenaje a Nueva York .Preciosas imágenes.
    Un beso desde España.

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